New Year's Resolutions
by BethSHeartbeat
Summary: 2016 looks to be off to a bad start for a miserable Zoe, but surely it can't stay that way for long?


Zoe sat on her sofa watching the London fireworks on her TV, the glass in her hand was nearing on empty. It seemed like what would be a normal new year's eve for many people, but it wasn't for her. Normally she'd be out with friends, and it wasn't that she was short of invitations this year, she just wasn't feeling up to going out. As clichéd as it sounded, the year had been full of ups and downs. For the first few months of the year she'd been happy, her and Max had been happy but it hadn't lasted. When it came to Zoe Hanna, mistakes were never far away and this time hadn't been any different, and that was mostly what she was reflecting on as 2016 came in. As the fireworks continued on her TV and started outside her window across the bay that her flat overlooked, she yet again wondered why she'd stayed up when she felt miserable. Briefly she wondered whether it was a sign that 2016 was going to be just as bad, she couldn't quite tell whether everything around her was still falling apart, or whether it was simply her falling apart.

Her phone beeped from beside her, marking the normal rush of 'Happy New Year' texts that were sweepingly sent to everyone in a person's contact list. Part of her wanted to just ignore everyone and reply in the morning after pretending she'd been asleep when they'd been sent, but the other part of her thought that she should probably do the same as what everyone else that she knew seemed to be doing. Absentmindedly she picked up her phone and scrolled through the texts, until her eyes fell upon the one name she hadn't particularly expected to see.

' _Happy New Year Zo. Have a good one. Max x'_

The text stood out for two reasons, one of which was the sender of the text and the second was that it was the only personalised text she'd received. Internally she scolded herself, the text meant nothing, it was just a well wish from a man who considered her nothing more than a friend. For a moment she considered her reply, she wanted to appear friendly and not miserable, like she felt inside.

' _Happy new year to you too, I'm sure you'll have a good one. Zoe'_

The fireworks still seemed to be going with music she vaguely recognised as songs that Max had played when he'd been with her, and the familiar bang of fireworks was still going in Holby as it approached 12:10.

' _Sorry if I'm slow replying, I'm at the pub. So what's your new year's resolutions?'_

She finally pulled herself off the sofa, phone in her hand as went to stand on the balcony. Whilst she was still feeling thoroughly miserable, she figured that maybe watching the fireworks would bring a bit of cheer to her. Instead, the sound of the dog in the flat below barking at the banging forced her back inside. Her phone alerted her to Max's latest text, and almost immediately she felt her heart sink as she realised he was probably only messaging her because he was drunk.

' _Have fun, don't drink too much though. You know how the ED gets at this time of year with all the drunken accidents. I suppose my resolution would be to eat healthily and maybe to learn to cook properly. You?'_

She replied, spouting the same rubbish as she did most years knowing that it would be the beginning of February, at a push, before she was back to old habits. Memories of 2015's resolution came back to her, the acting her age hadn't lasted long at all, she couldn't deny that she was curious and nervous for Max's, especially after his 2015 one.

' _I stopped drinking a while ago, soft drinks for me. Starting the New Year sober, that's a new one for me. I hope you're having fun wherever you are. I told you to learn to cook, I'm glad to see you're finally taking it on board; I have two resolutions.'_

He once again brightened her mood as she realised that he was talking to her purely because he wanted to, and not because he was drunk and not fully in control of his own actions. It wasn't until she reread the text, that she realised that he hadn't actually told her his new year's resolution.

' _Join the club, I've had a single glass of champagne and now I'm ready to get into bed. Your constant moaning about me learning to cook may have been a factor in the decision. What are your two?'_

Zoe text back before she changed into a clean set of pyjamas and climbed into bed, and yet she didn't want to fall asleep yet. Her phone was getting low on charge and yet she couldn't quite bring herself to put it down, instead she stared at it, silently willing Max to send another message.

' _Are you not out with the ED staff?'_

Max asked, ignoring the rest of her message and just focusing on the bit that she hadn't wanted him too.

' _No, didn't feel up to it. I had a date with Bryan Adams on the BBC instead'_

She replied after carefully considering her words, she hadn't wanted to lie, it wasn't as if she was sick, it was purely that she hadn't wanted to inflict her bad mood on other people. Her phone once again notified her that she was at 10% charge, she knew it wouldn't be long before it turned itself off in protest against the lack of charge but she couldn't lay in bed and reach it from where it charged. As a compromise, she put it on charge and then proceeded to sit on the floor beside it, in an attempt not to miss anything.

' _Leave the upset in 2015 Zo', I want you to be happy. I know I'm probably the last people you want to talk to about how you're feeling, but the offer is there'_

' _Why are you so amazing? Even after everything you're still such a gentleman'_

She text back without even really thinking about what she was saying anymore, she couldn't blame the alcohol, instead it was the feelings going to her head. Nervously she waited for his reply, she expected him to shut down the conversation now but yet he surprised her yet again.

' _I'm not more amazing than you. Forget about that Zoe, it was so last year :P Seriously though, you deserve to be happy, you deserve the best.'_

Yet again Zoe was left without words at the man who was spending the first bit of his New Year texting her. She searched her brain for something equally as perfect to text back, but came up at a loss and instead realised that he still hadn't told her his New Year's Resolutions.

' _I really don't, enough on that though. You never shared your NYR!'_

' _NYR?'_

Came the immediate reply from Max, she wasn't usually one for abbreviating non-medical terms but she was getting bored of repeatedly typing out the same three words and had instead decided to shorted it without telling Max.

' _New Year's Resolutions, it's getting boring to type'_

' _That's a good question you ask. The first is to spend more time playing my guitar and learn some new songs, maybe a couple more in Spanish. Can't have people thinking I'm a one trick pony.'_

' _Good one, and the second?'_

She asked as she giggled slightly at his first one, the reminder to the day that Max challenged her to be a porter making her feel a little brighter.

' _Ooh, the second is a good one but it comes in several parts. My phone's put festive decorations around your face, it's very cute. You're beautiful.'_

He told her, immediately causing her to smile before she caught sight of her unmade face in the mirror and wondered what he saw.

' _Maybe with make up on, not normally'_

' _I know you're going to say you aren't but I'm going to ignore that. Your eyes are seriously something else, I know you think it was your bum that attracted me to you but no, it was your eyes. They seriously sparkle or something, especially when you smile. You need to be told more often how beautiful you are.'_

Came Max's text as she pressed send on her own one, her heart started being a little faster as she read the words on the screen of her phone, before she could even think properly she received another text from Max.

' _That's 2.1 if you were wondering, tell you every day that you're beautiful and I suppose that brings us onto 2.2 which is to make you smile as often as I can.'_

' _How can you make me feel so happy when I was miserable 20 minutes ago? You're so perfect Max and I wish I'd never messed our relationship up.'_

' _If you're happy, then I'm happy. I've told you to forget the past. This brings us onto 2.3 though I think'_

' _Which is?'_

Zoe asked, her heart beating faster as she felt the anticipation rising waiting for his reply. She hadn't expected this tonight, or any night. Max wasn't hers anymore and she wasn't his and yet here they were again.

' _Try to get you back every day until I'm successful.'_

She stared at the screen in silence, unsure of what she was supposed to say in response, instead her thoughts were disturbed by the alert of yet another text.

' _Zoe Hanna, will you give us another shot?_

She hadn't expected the nerves that she now felt in her stomach, but she was in no doubt over what to reply, there was never really any question about it.

' _Yes'_

' _How about letting me in then? It's cold out here'_

Came Max's reply, with an attached selfie, immediately she recognised the background of his picture as the entrance to her block of flats. Zoe placed her phone back on the floor as she got up and run around to the door and immediately buzzed Max in.

2016 promised to bring something new for the couple, maybe this was the year that they'd finally get their happy after ever. Whatever happened, they always seemed to find their way back to each other, it was like an addiction that neither could ever completely be cured of and that neither wanted to.

 **The End**

 **A/N Thank you for reading and happy New Year to you all. I wrote this after I put a poll on my twitter asking what you wanted updated, a new Zax oneshot topped the poll. Originally I was going to write a sad fic, but then someone came along and cheered me up in much a similar way to this, I know they aren't reading but I'll thank them for the inspiration. The sad one might come another time because I quite liked the idea, but for now let's keep it happy.**

 **Beth xx**


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